Vacuum cleaner attachment



Jan. 20, 1959 H. wEssl-:L 2,859,170

VACUUM CLEANER ATTACHMENT Filed June 26, 195s v 2 sheets-slim 1 HTTYJ Jan. 20, 1959 Filed June 26, 1953 H. wEssEl. 27,869,170

VACUUM CLEANER ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. jfese.'

nited States The invention relates'to a cleaning appliance which consists of brushes and suction 'apertures adjacent the said brushes and connected to a suction device, `especially a vacuum cleaner.

It has already been proposed to arrange both the clustersof bristles and the suction apertures so that the vl.suction rtakes place 'either only outside the clusters of bristles or both outside and inside the said clusters. In

.such constructional forms, the suction apertures arranged youtside the clusters of bristles are distributed in sub- :stantially radially symmetrical formation, that is to say, v,the suction apertures are uniformly distributed over the entire outer periphery ofthe'vacuum cleaner brush.

Practical tests carried out with this method of suction in the various fields of application, that is'to say in normal vacuum cleaner brushes or suction polishers, have shown 'that it is possible further to increase and to improve the :already excellent veffect obtained in 'accordance with the :aforesaid proposal by arranging the suction apertures, not fin substantially radially symmetrical formation, but at preferred points. These preferred points are those situ .ated in front of the clusters of bristles, with reference to :the direction of movement in which the appliance in quesition is guided over the surface tobe cleaned.

In the appliance according to the invention,.it is of great importance so to dispose theV suction slots'or suction apertures and to choose the length of the clusters of bristles in relation to the arrangement of the slots as toensurethat there is a predetermined distance between the lower ends of the clusters of bristles and the lower mouths of the suction slots, even during operation, in which the clusters of bristles are pressed with a certain force on to the surface to be cleaned. It has been found that particularly favourable suction and cleaning effects are obtained if theentire brush is given an arched cross-section or is broken away or rounded at the edges in which 'case the cross-section must be chosen in the direction of movement of the brush. ln order'to obtain a brush of this form, the bristles are appropriately cut. lt is advantageous to arrange not only the rows of clusters of bristles, but also the individual -bristles within each cluster so close together that substantially no air can be sucked through .thebrush when it has been applied to the surface to be cleaned. This is of particular'advantage if suction slots are situated both in front of and behind the rows of'bristles. In this way, on the one hand, a particularly intensive suction of the dust Vis effected because practically no secondary ati-.can pass through the bristles, while on the other hand the dust is prevented from penetrating into the gaps between the Aclusters of bristles and between the individual bristles,

rat-rented Jan. 2o, 1959 Other treating appliances, such as vacuum cleaner brushes for carpets, oors and upholstery, as well Vas suction polishers, are generally guided over the `surface to be cleaned by means of a suction tube directed obliquely forwards, which simultaneously serves as a handle. Such appliances are also moved lforwards and backwards over the surface to be cleaned, ibut onedirection of movement may be regarded as the preferred direction by .reason of the `inclined position of the suction polisher. In the forward movement, owing to the thrust applied in thefmovement and the friction, the appliance is automatically guided under increased pressure over the surface 'to be cleaned, while in the return movement 'the Aappliance is pulled and consequently only moves lightly over the surface.

For this reason, the suction slots in such appliances must only be provided on the'forward side of the row of bundles of bristles. lt will readily be clear what maybe regarded as the forward side in the case of elongated vacuum cleaner brushes and in the case of rectangular suction polishers. On the other hand, if vacuum cleaner brushes or suctionpolishers having a'triangular or polygonal form are employed, in which the connection ofthe suction polisher and consequently the preferred direction of movement are so chosen that a point of the triangle or of the polygon is forwardly directed in the direction of movement, the two lforward sides of the triangle or polygon, extending from the point, must be regarded as the forward side of the clusters of bristles. Accordingly,

the suction apertures are provided on these edges in front of theforwardmost rows of clusters.

Vacuum cleaner brushes are known, in which asuction aperture is situated in front of the row of clusters of bristles, but in these known arrangements the clusters of bristles scarcely project beyond the bearing mouth of the vacuum cleaner nozzle. Consequently, the vacuum cleaner brush constructed in this manner has almost exactly the same disadvantage as a normal vacuum cleaner nozzle without any brush. This disadvantage resides in that, as the vacuum cleaner nozzle `is moved 'to and Vfro over the surface to be cleaned, the dirt or dust is pushed forward by the raised edge of the nozzle and thus to some extent whirled up before they can reach the suction cur rent produced by the nozzle, and they cannot in any case be immediately pulled into the vacuum cleaner. A further part of the dirt or dust is pressed by the edge of the nozzle on to the door before it passes below the nozzle and consequently into the region of the current of suction air. If these parts of the dirt or dust have a slightly adhesive action, they adhere to the surface to be cleaned under the pressure, so that their removal is rendered difficult if not impossible. These facts are particularly detrimental in the case of carpets and upholstery, in which case the impurities need not even have an adhesive action, but are pressed, and to a certain extent ironed, intoy the uneven surface of the textile by the pressing action of the edge of the nozzle. v

in accordance with the invention, all these disadvantages are avoided by reason of the fact that there exists between the lower edge of the suction apertures and the ends of the clusters of bristles a gap of such size that, even when the appliance is pressed with relatively great force on to the surface to be cleaned, the clusters of bristles are compressed and bent out only to such an extent that a sufficient gap is left between the surface to be cleaned and the lower outlet of the suction apertures. The result is thus obtained that theimpurities are taken up by the current of air in the suction apertures and `sucked into the vacuum cleaner before they can be reached by the bundles of bristles of the cleaning appliance. The clusters of bristles then serve only to loosen the impuri- 3 ties which are not taken up by the current of air because they adhere firmly to the surface to be cleaned, whereafter they are sucked up.

Instead of the bundles of bristles, currying pins and currycombs or rubber pads, either alone or in combination with pin brushes or currycombs, may be employed, that is to say, the appliances may be adapted for cleaning animals, in which case they afford the same or similar advantages to those already described in detail with reference to vacuum cleaner brushes, clothes brushes and suction polishers.

Further details of the invention will become apparent from the constructional examples hereinafter more fully described. In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is partly a side elevation and partly a crosssectional view of a suction polisher;

Figure 2 is an underneath view of the suction polisher as seen in the direction of the arrow A; and

Figure 3 is an underneath view of a suction polisher, similar to the constructional form shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the sole difference that the suction polisher is of substantially triangular outline.

In the constructional form shown in Figures 1 and 2, which illustrate a suction polisher, a suction polisher body 1 is provided, which may be cast from metal or iron, or may be pressed from another suitable material, more particularly plastic. .The suction polisher body has at its center a suction aperture 2. Formed around the suction aperture 2 in the suction polisher body 1 is a step into which an annular elastic underlayer consisting of rubber foam or a portion of rubber hose'is fitted. Mounted on the said underlayer is a plate 14 of the joint 21 of the suction handle attaching means 22 one longitudinal edge of the plate 14 being forced under the two projections 23, while the snap catch 24 is withdrawn. When the plate 14 is correctly seated, the snap catch 24 is released and then engages over the edge of the nozzle plate 14 and presses it firmly on to the elastic underlayer. Extending from the suction aperture 2 in one direction is a suction duct 3, which leads into a number of suction apertures 4, in the neighbourhood of the periphery of the body of the suction polisher.

The form of the suction duct 3 may vary. In one form, it is constructed as a single duct extending from the suction aperture 2 and widening considerably in the direction of the four suction apertures 4 and 5. In another constructional form, the suction duct divides after having extended from the suction aperture 2, into two branch ducts leading to the individual suction apertures 4 and 5.

The body of the suction polisher comprises individual F cavities 7, 8 opening in the downward direction.

The bristle carrier 11 consists of an elastic material, more especially rubber, and has the form of a plate comprising an outer cylindrical ange 12 terminating at the top on one side in a beaded edge 13. The cylindrical flange 12 extends around the side portions of the body of the suction polisher, while the beaded edge 13 engages in a recess in the upper edge of the said body.

It has proved particularly expedient to incline the nipple-like projections from the vertical to a gradually increasing extent in the outer rows of clusters ofbristles. It will be seen more particularly from Figure l that this inclination is greatest in the outermost row of clusters 17, whereafter it is decreased somewhat in the second row 18, and finally decreases further at the third row 19, until it finally disappears in the fourth row 29. In this row and in the rows situated further inwards, the clusters of bristles are exactly vertical. Due to this inclined arrangement, the tilting moment occurring in the movements of the polisher is not only effectively counteracted, but in addition the bending over which is observed particularly in the outermost rows with the arrangement of the clusters of bristles hitherto usually adopted is avoided.

Furthermore, there is provided ou the cylindrical ange 12 of the bristle plate a downwardly projecting collar 13',

the lower end of which bears substantially midway along the length of the bundles of bristles against the outer bristles of the outer row of clusters. This collar simultaneously affords the advantage of a pronounced nozzle effect in the region of the suction apertures 4, 5, the air drawn into the suction apertures being compelled to pass not only immediately above the floor, but also in the immediate neighborhood of the clusters of bristles, so that an effective exhausting of the dust is ensured.

In the constructional form shown in Figure 3, the handle attaching means 25 is so swivelably mounted on a joint 26 on the upper side of the suction polisher that the polisher normally moves over the floor in the direction of the arrow E. Accordingly, the intake apertures 27 are provided on the two forward edges 28, 29 abutting at an angle. Bymeans of this arrangement, the result is obtained that when the polisher is pushed forward in the direction of the arrow E all the impurities situated in front of the apertures 27, such as dust, ash, earth or the like, are sucked away by the current of air before they can reach the first row of clusters of bristles.

I claim:

l. A vacuum cleaner attachment for mounting on the end of a tubular handle operating also as a suction connection, comprising a brush body of substantial dimension in the direction of the forward and backward movement of the attachment in operation, a hollow swinging joint positioned at approximately the center of said body, a hollow handle attaching means mounted on said swinging joint, said joint being constructed and arranged whereby said handle attaching means may swing about a horizontal axis at right angles to said direction of movement, said joint securing said body to said handle attaching means, a narrow aperture in the bottom surface of said body along only one ofthe edges of said body lying generally at right angles to said direction of movement, a main suction passage through said body from said narrow aperture to said hollow swinging joint, the lower surface of said body being provided with closely arranged tufts of bristles covering its entire lower surface, the tufts of bristles at the central portion o-f said body extending generally vertically and the bristle tufts at the outer edges of said body being slanted progressively outward toward the edge of said body to present a broad base to resist rocking of the attachment relative to the surface being cleaned, the row of bristles adjacent said narrow aperture being at such an angle as to extend substantially beneath a Vertical projection of said aperture so that in forward motion it will raise dirt from the surface being cleaned, a downwardly extending peripheral collar surrounding said body, the lower edge of said collar bearing on the outermost row of bristles at substantially their midlength to effectively block the spaces between said bristle tufts against flow of air therethrough for the major portion of the periphery of said body, said collar at said suction aperture being spaced from said outermost row of bristles to form a narrow suction passage between said collar and said outermost row of bristles as an extension of said main suction passage.

2. The attachment of claim 1, in which said bristle tufts are mounted in an integral bristle tuft support of elastic material, each tuft being mounted in a projection whereby the bending stresses on the tufts of bristles are distributed to said elastic material.

3. The attachment of claim 2, in which said bristle tuft support and said collar are intef'rally formed, and in which an upwardly extending resilient flange is provided at the 'edge of said bristle tuft support, said upwardly extending flange being of such peripheral extent as to grippinglyreceive said body therein to secure said bristle tuft support to said body.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent 2,280,751 UNITED STATES PATENTS 531,370

1,770,195 Burlew July 8, 1930 2,216,275 Kmenlein Oer. 1, 1940 9,019 2,221,630 Bjorkman Nov. 12, 1940 5 20,178 2,235,224 Ross Mar. 18, 1941 515,469 2,276,944 Dow Mar. 17, 1942 516,121

6 Davis Apr. 21, 1942 Thompson Nov. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 11, 1911 Great Britain Oct. 9, 1901 Belgium Nov. 29, 1952 Belgium Dec. 31, 1952 

